Michigan State University Athletics
No. 17 Spartans Host Youngstown State for Season Opener
9/2/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 2, 2011
| No. 17/17 Michigan State (0-0) vs. Youngstown State (0-0) | |
| Date | Friday, Sept. 2 |
| Time | 7:30 p.m. ET |
| Location | East Lansing, Mich. | Spartan Stadium (75,005/Natural Grass) |
| Televison | Big Ten Network (Tom Hart, Derek Rackley, Lisa Byington) |
| Radio | Spartan Sports Network (Listen Live) |
| Satellite Radio | SIRIUS: Channel 85; XM: Channel 85 |
| Radio (Mobile) | Broadcast available on Spartan Sports Network Mobile App: iPhone/iPad | Android |
| Internet Coverage | Watch Live (BTN2Go) |
| Tickets | Available at www.msuspartans.com |
| Parking/Stadium Information | Gameday Answers | Tailgating Information |
| Game Notes | Michigan State | Youngstown State |
| Live Stats | Live Stats (Mobile Users) | |
| Social Media | @MSU_Football  | Facebook  |
STORYLINE
No. 17/17 Michigan State hosts Youngstown State Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Spartan Stadium for the 2011 season opener.
FIRST-AND-10 (what you need to know about the MSU-YSU matchup) -
• Friday's game marks the first meeting between Michigan State and Youngstown State. It also marks just the third time in school history that MSU has played an opponent from the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The Spartans defeated Montana State, 44-3, in the 2009 season opener and Northern Colorado, 45-7, in Week 4 of the 2010 campaign.
• In its 114-year football history, Michigan State is 75-36-3 (.671) in season openers, including a 10-2 record (.833) in its last 12 games.
• Fifth-year Michigan State head coach Mark Dantonio has compiled a 5-2 record (.714) in season openers during his seven-year career. Dantonio is 3-1 in season-opening games at MSU, with a 55-18 victory over UAB in his Spartan debut in 2007, a 38-31 loss at California in 2008, a 44-3 win over Montana State in 2009 and a 38-14 victory over Western Michigan in 2010.
• In its 114-year football history, Michigan State is 93-21 (.816) in home openers, including a 12-game winning streak that began in 1999. The Spartans have won 14 of their last 15 home openers, with the only setback coming to Colorado State, 23-16, in the 1998 Black Coaches Association Classic.
• Mark Dantonio previously spent five years at Youngstown State (1986-90) under Jim Tressel, helping the Penguins to three trips to the NCAA I-AA playoffs. While serving as defensive coordinator in 1990, Youngstown State posted a perfect 11-0 regular-season record and ranked second nationally.
• Friday's Michigan State-Youngstown State game marks just the 10th night game in the 88-year history of Spartan Stadium. The Spartans are 5-4 in their nine previous prime-time TV appearances in Spartan Stadium, including last year's 34-31 overtime victory over Notre Dame as well as two wins over ranked opponents (No. 19 Southern Cal in 1987 and No. 10 Notre Dame in 1998).
• Michigan State has compiled a 36-15 record (.706) in games played against non-conference opponents since 1999. Mark Dantonio is 13-7 (.650) against non-conference opponents, including an 11-1 record in Spartan Stadium. Overall, the Spartans have won 19 of their last 27 non-league games.
• In tribute to former Michigan State two-time All-American and College Football Hall of Famer Charles "Bubba" Smith, who passed away on Aug. 3 at the age of 66, the Spartans will wear No. 95 decals on the back of their helmets for the 2011 season opener against Youngstown State. In memoriam, Smith, one of only three players in Spartan football history to have his jersey number (No. 95) retired, has been named honorary captain for Friday night's season and home opener. Robert Viney, a three-year letterman from 1963-65, will represent all of Smith's former teammates by joining the 2011 captains at midfield for the pre-game coin toss. Viney started at right end opposite Smith in 1965.
• Fifth-year senior Kirk Cousins enters his third season as Michigan State's starting quarterback with a chance to win more games than any other QB in Spartan history. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Cousins has compiled a 16-9 record (.640) in 25 career starts (school record: 21 career victories by Jeff Smoker, 2000-03). His career winning percentage (seventh) and career victories (11th) rank among all active NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks.
• Michigan State fifth-year senior B.J. Cunningham needs just 10 more catches to become MSU's all-time leader in receptions (record: 148 by Matt Trannon, 2003-06). The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Cunningham already ranks among the school's career leaders in catches (third at 139), touchdown receptions (tied for 10th with 13) and receiving yards (1,780). The Biletnikoff Award candidate has caught at least one pass in 34 consecutive regular-season games.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS -
• Senior Keshawn Martin needs 63 receiving yards to reach the 1,000-yard career milestone. In 34 career games, Martin has 61 catches for 937 yards (15.4 avg.) and six touchdowns.
• Michigan State returns nearly all of its rushing yards from last season (99.7 percent, all but 5 yards), led by first-team All-Big Ten selection Edwin Baker (1,201 yards), along with Le'Veon Bell (605 yards), Keshawn Martin (157 yards) and Larry Caper (144 yards). In addition, Baker and Bell comprise the first Michigan State running back duo to return after both rushed for at least 600 yards since Steve Smith (972 yards) and Derek Hughes (626 yards) came back following the 1979 season.
• In seven seasons as a head coach, Mark Dantonio's teams have compiled an 18-11 record (.621) during the month of September, including a 13-4 mark (.765) at Michigan State.
• Under Mark Dantonio, Michigan State is 23-3 (.885) when leading in time of possession, including a perfect 8-0 in 2010.
UPON FURTHER REVIEW -
• Following last night's walk-thru in Spartan Stadium, head coach Mark Dantonio announced that walk-ons (sophomore linebacker) Kyler Elsworth and (fifth-year senior wide receiver) Brad Sonntag have been awarded scholarships for the 2011-12 academic year.
• Michigan State has a new natural grass playing surface in Spartan Stadium this season. Following the June 26, 2011, U2 "360" concert, the entire field had to be replaced. The new surface, planted in April 2010 at Graff's Turf Farms in Fort Morgan, Colo., is comprised of a blend of four varieties of Kentucky bluegrass. The installation of the new sod, transported to Spartan Stadium in 26 refrigerator trucks, took three days (July 12-15).
MSU/YOUNGSTOWN STATE CONNECTIONS -
• Mark Dantonio previously spent five years at Youngstown State (1986-90) under Jim Tressel, helping the Penguins to three trips to the NCAA I-AA playoffs. While serving as defensive coordinator in 1990, Youngstown State posted a perfect 11-0 regular-season record and ranked second nationally.
• Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, played for his father Bill Narduzzi at Youngstown State as a freshman in 1985 and led the Ohio Valley Conference in tackles. His 159 tackles in 1985 still rank as the top freshman single-season total in YSU history. Narduzzi then transferred to Rhode Island and became a three-year starter at linebacker for the Rams from 1987-89
• Bill Narduzzi compiled a 68-51-1 record (.571) in 11 seasons as head coach at Youngstown State (1975-85). His 68 wins (third) and .571 winning percentage (fourth) rank among the best coaching totals in YSU history. Narduzzi led Youngstown State to back-to-back NCAA Division II playoff appearances in 1978-79 (combined record of 21-4), with the Penguins falling to Delaware, 38-21, in the 1979 National Championship Game.
• Jim Tressel, uncle of Michigan State linebackers and special teams coach Mike Tressel, produced a 135-57-2 record (.700) in 15 seasons as head coach at Youngstown State (1986-2000), including four National Championships (1991, 1993, 1994 and 1997) in 10 NCAA I-AA playoff appearances.
SPARTANS RETURN TO PRIME TIME -
Friday's Michigan State-Youngstown State game marks just the 10th night game in the 88-year history of Spartan Stadium. The Spartans are 5-4 in their nine previous prime-time TV appearances in Spartan Stadium, including last year's 34-31 overtime victory over Notre Dame as well as two wins over ranked opponents (No. 19 Southern Cal in 1987 and No. 10 Notre Dame in 1998).
Here are brief recaps of the previous nine night games played in Spartan Stadium:
Sept. 7, 1987 (Michigan State 27, No. 19 Southern Cal 13)
In its first prime-time appearance, the Spartans upset No. 19 Southern Cal, 27-13, in the 1987 season opener, played on Labor Day. Lorenzo White rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns while Bobby McAllister accounted for 163 total yards, including a 9-yard TD run, to pace the Spartan attack. Michigan State produced 13 points off five Southern Cal turnovers.
 The Spartans defeated USC in the 1987 season opener under the lights at Spartan Stadium.  | |
Sept. 12, 1998 (Michigan State 45, No. 10 Notre Dame 23)
Bill Burke completed 12-of-19 passes for 209 yards and three scores as Michigan State stunned No. 10 Notre Dame, 45-23. The Spartans got out of the gate early as Notre Dame's first possession ended in a blocked punt that Richard Newsome returned 25 yards for a touchdown. Michigan State scored TDs on its first four possessions. Julian Peterson's 23-yard interception return for a touchdown gave the Spartans a 42-3 halftime lead.
Sept. 2, 1999 (Michigan State 27, Oregon 20)
Michigan State battled back from a 17-7 third-quarter deficit to post a 27-20 victory over Oregon in the 1999 season opener. The Ducks built a 17-7 lead on A.J. Feeley's 18-yard touchdown strike to Tony Hartley with 9:30 left in the third quarter. The Spartans pulled even at 17 on Bill Burke's 12-yard TD toss to Gari Scott with 3:03 remaining in the third quarter. Michigan State took the lead for good at 24-17 on Amp Campbell's 85-yard fumble return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Burke threw for 205 yards and two TDs while Lloyd Clemons gained 121 yards on 18 rushes.
Oct. 26, 2002 (Wisconsin 42, Michigan State 24)
Brooks Bollinger accounted for 193 total yards and five touchdowns to lead Wisconsin to a 42-24 victory over Michigan State. Wisconsin jumped out to a 21-0 lead, scoring on three-straight possessions in the first quarter. Bollinger scored on a 1-yard sneak, a 7-yard bootleg around right end and flipped a 3-yard TD pass to Mark Bell in the first quarter. Bollinger completed 10-of-18 throws for 135 yards and three scores. Wisconsin's ground game amassed 313 yards, with Anthony Davis (29 for 170) and Smith (14 for 110) each posting 100-yard rushing games. In his second career start for the Spartans, Damon Dowdell hit 14-of-24 passes for 162 yards, including TD tosses of 7 yards to BJ Lovett and 26 yards to Charles Rogers.
Sept. 18, 2004 (Notre Dame 31, Michigan State 24)
Brady Quinn threw for one touchdown and ran for another score to lead Notre Dame to a 31-24 victory over Michigan State. The Fighting Irish parlayed six takeaways into 17 points. Notre Dame took the lead for good at 14-7 with :07 remaining in the first quarter as Tom Zbikowski stripped the ball from Jason Teague and returned the fumble 75 yards for a score. The Irish built a 21-7 halftime lead on Quinn's 35-yard TD strike to Matt Shelton with 8:52 to play in the first half. Notre Dame extended its lead to 28-7 on Ryan Grant's 6-yard TD run late in the third quarter. Drew Stanton came off the Spartan bench to account for 159 total yards (110 passing, 49 rushing) in the second half, including a 4-yard TD run in the closing seconds. Quinn completed 11-of-24 throws for 215 yards, while Shelton caught three passes for 123 yards.
Sept. 23, 2006 (Notre Dame 40, Michigan State 37)
Notre Dame cornerback Terrail Lambert capped a furious rally by returning an interception 19 yards for a touchdown with 2:53 remaining to give the 12th-ranked Fighting Irish a 40-37 victory over the Spartans. Lambert followed up his score by ending the Spartans' comeback hopes moments later with a juggling interception of Drew Stanton's pass in the closing seconds of the game. Michigan State scored on three of its first four possessions to build a 17-0 first-quarter lead. Stanton capped an eight-play, 59-yard drive with a 15-yard scoring strike to Kerry Reed late in the first half as the Spartans took a 31-14 halftime lead. Jehuu Caulcrick's 30-yard TD run with 5:50 left in the third quarter gave MSU a 37-21 advantage. The Irish offense clicked late, led by quarterback Brady Quinn, who finished 20-of-36 for 319 yards with five TDs against one interception. In the fourth quarter, the Irish pulled to within three at 37-33, as Quinn threw TD passes to Jeff Samardzija (43 yards) and Rhema McKnight (14 yards). Caulcrick finished with 111 yards and a TD on eight carries. Stanton ran for 53 yards and completed 10 of 22 passes for 114 yards, two TDs and two interceptions.
Oct. 13, 2007 (Michigan State 52, Indiana 27)
Javon Ringer rushed for 203 yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries to help Michigan State to a 52-27 Homecoming victory over Indiana. Brian Hoyer was 20-for-23 for 190 yards and a TD for the Spartans, who led by as many as 32 points in the third quarter. Jehuu Caulcrick rushed for three TDs and Devin Thomas caught 13 passes for 148 yards and a TD. Indiana's high-powered offense was kept off the field much of the game by Michigan State, which dominated time of possession. The Spartans had the ball for just over 41 minutes. Kellen Lewis ran for a TD and passed for another for the Hoosiers, while James Hardy caught six passes for 121 yards and a TD.
Oct. 24, 2009 (No. 7 Iowa 15, Michigan State 13)
Ricky Stanzi hooked up with Marvin McNutt for a 7-yard touchdown pass as time expired to give No. 7 Iowa a 15-13 victory over Michigan State. The Spartans had grabbed a 13-9 lead with 1:37 remaining when Kirk Cousins hit Blair White with a 30-yard TD strike. But the Hawkeyes stormed back with a 10-play, 70-yard game-winning drive. Adam Robinson paced the Iowa ground attack with 27 carries for 109 yards. Cousins completed 16-of-32 passes for 225 yards for MSU.
Sept. 18, 2010 (Michigan State 34, Notre Dame 31)
Aaron Bates' 29-yard touchdown pass to tight end Charlie Gantt off a fake field goal gave Michigan State a 34-31 overtime victory over Notre Dame. With less than 10 minutes to play in the fourth quarter, MSU trailed the Irish, 28-21. Kirk Cousins capped off a four-play, 56-yard drive with a 24-yard TD strike to B.J. Cunningham to tie the score at 28 with 7:43 left in regulation. Cousins completed 23-of-33 throws for 245 yards, two TDs and one interception, while tailbacks Le'Veon Bell and Edwin Baker combined to rush for 204 yards and two scores. Irish quarterback Dayne Crist connected on 32-of-55 passes for 369 yards, four TDs and one interception.
SPARTANS HONOR "BUBBA" SMITH WITH NO. 95 DECALS ON HELMETS -
In tribute to former Michigan State two-time All-American and College Football Hall of Famer Charles "Bubba" Smith, who passed away on Aug. 3 at the age of 66, the Spartans will wear No. 95 decals on the back of their helmets for the 2011 season opener against Youngstown State. In memoriam, Smith, one of only three players in Spartan football history to have his jersey number (No. 95) retired, has been named honorary captain for Friday night's season and home opener. Robert Viney, a three-year letterman from 1963-65, will represent all of Smith's former teammates by joining the 2011 captains at midfield for the pre-game coin toss. Viney started at right end opposite Smith in 1965.
 The Spartans will wear a No. 95 decal on the back of their helmets in the season opener as a tribute to former MSU All-American Charles "Bubba" Smith. | |
Born Feb. 28, 1945, in Orange, Texas, Smith earned three letters at Michigan State from 1964-66, while playing for legendary head coach Duffy Daugherty. In his final two seasons, the 6-foot-7, 280-pound defensive end helped the Spartans to a combined record of 19-1-1, including back-to-back Big Ten and National Championships in 1965 and '66.
As a junior, he emerged as one of the top playmakers on a defensive unit that led the NCAA in rushing defense (45.6 yards per game) and scoring defense (6.2 points per game), earning First-Team All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association and United Press International. Michigan State held three of its 1965 opponents to negative rushing yards: Michigan, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
As a senior, Smith was named First-Team All-American by nine different organizations, including The Associated Press, UPI, Football Writers Association of America, AFCA, Newspaper Enterprise Association, The Sporting News, Central Press, Football News and New York News. In addition, he was selected UPI Lineman of the Year in 1966. Despite being regularly double- or triple-teamed or having opponents run away from his side of the field, Smith still produced 30 tackles (15 solos, 15 assists), including 10 for losses (59 yards). Michigan State ranked third in the NCAA in rushing defense in'66, allowing just 51.4 yards per game.
Smith became the first selection overall in the 1967 National Football League Draft by the Baltimore Colts. He spent nine years in the NFL, including five seasons in Baltimore (1967-71), two in Oakland (1973-74) and two more in Houston (1975-76). Smith was a member of the 1970 Colts team that defeated Dallas, 16-13, in Super Bowl V (Jan. 17, 1971). He made back-to-back Pro Bowl appearances in 1970-71 and was named First-Team All-Pro by AP and Pro Football Writers in 1971.
In 1988, the Beaumont, Texas, native was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Smith became a member of the inaugural class inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1992. In 2006, he was rated among the Top 10 Greatest Defensive Players of All-Time, according to lists compiled by CollegeFootballNews.com's Pete Fiutak (No. 6) and Richard Cirminiello (No. 8). On Sept. 23, 2006, Smith became just the third player in MSU football history to have his jersey number retired. His jersey retirement was part of a special program to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1966 "Game of the Century" between the second-ranked Spartans and top-ranked Notre Dame that ended in a 10-10 tie. In 2010, Smith ranked No. 26 among the Top 50 Big Ten Icons, according to a list compiled by the Big Ten Network. At the conclusion of the 2011 season, the Big Ten will present the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year Award as selected by the league's head coaches and media panel, honoring MSU's two-time All-American as well as Penn State's Courtney Brown.
SPARTANS FROM THE "BUCKEYE STATE" -
Michigan State's 2011 roster features 24 players from Ohio: junior cornerback Johnny Adams (Akron/Buchtel), sophomore linebacker Denicos Allen (Hamilton), sophomore running back Le'Veon Bell (Reynoldsburg/Groveport Madison), red-shirt freshman offensive tackle Skyler Burkland (Sunbury/Big Walnut), fifth-year senior tight end Garrett Celek (Cincinnati/LaSalle), freshman offensive lineman Donavon Clark (Cincinnati/Finneytown), sophomore offensive tackle Henry Conway (Shaker Heights), freshman quarterback Connor Cook (Hinckley/Walsh Jesuit), fifth-year senior wide receiver B.J. Cunningham (Westerville/Westerville South), red-shirt freshman offensive tackle Michael Dennis (Carey), red-shirt freshman safety Kurtis Drummond (Masury/Hubbard), sophomore offensive tackle Dan France (North Royalton), junior defensive end Corey Freeman (Cleveland Heights), junior linebacker Steve Gardiner (Dublin/Coffman), freshman defensive end Joel Heath (Cincinnati/Mount Healthy), sophomore tight end Derek Hoebing (Vermilion), red-shirt freshman center Travis Jackson (New Albany/St. Francis DeSales), fifth-year senior nose tackle Antonio Jeremiah (Hilliard/Hilliard Darby), sophomore offensive lineman Nate Klatt (Clinton/Northwest), freshman fullback Trevon Pendleton (Lucasville/Portsmouth West), red-shirt freshman defensive end Marcus Rush (Cincinnati/Archbishop Moeller), junior tight end Drew Stevens (Delaware/Olentangy), freshman safety RJ Williamson (Middletown/Dunbar) and junior defensive tackle Jerel Worthy (Huber Heights/Wayne).
COUSINS ESTABLISHES HIMSELF AS ONE OF NATION'S TOP QUARTERBACKS -
Fifth-year senior Kirk Cousins enters his third season as Michigan State's starting quarterback with a chance to win more games than any other QB in Spartan history. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Cousins has compiled a 16-9 record (.640) in 25 career starts (school record: 21 career victories by Jeff Smoker, 2000-03). His career winning percentage (seventh) and career victories (11th) rank among all active NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks.
Cousins currently ranks first in MSU history in completion percentage (.643; 456-of-709) and passing efficiency (146.7). Those figures also rank among the best in Big Ten history: third in completion percentage and fifth in passing efficiency. He is listed among MSU's all-time leaders in passing yards (fourth with 5,815 yards), total offense (fourth with 5,727 yards), pass completions (sixth with 456), touchdown passes (sixth with 41) and pass attempts (eighth with 709). His 15 career 200-yard passing games rank third in Spartan history.
As a junior in 2010, Cousins ranked fifth in the Big Ten and No. 18 in the NCAA FBS in passing efficiency with his 150.7 rating. The Holland, Mich., native finished fifth in the Big Ten in passing yards (217.3 per game), tied for fourth in touchdown passes (20) and eighth in total offense (206.8 ypg.). He completed 226-of-338 throws (.669) for 2,825 yards, 20 TDs and 10 interceptions. In Big Ten games, Cousins ranked third in the conference in passing yards (230.2 ypg.) and fourth in passing efficiency (149.3 rating). His .669 completion percentage (second), 150.7 passing efficiency rating (fifth), 226 pass completions (third), 2,825 passing yards (third), 20 TD passes (tied for fourth), 2,689 total yards (fourth), seven 200-yard passing games (seventh) and 338 pass attempts (sixth) rank among the Top 10 single-season totals in MSU history. He played his best when the game was on the line, as his 170.9 second-half passing efficiency rating ranked No. 11 among all NCAA FBS quarterbacks, according to cfbstats.com. In the second half (26 quarters and overtime), Cousins connected on 70 percent (102-of-146) of his throws for 1,395 yards, 11 TDs and three interceptions. He tied a school record by throwing a TD pass in 16 consecutive games, spanning from the 2009 Northwestern game to the 2010 Iowa game (tied for school record along with Drew Stanton, 2005-06). Cousins recorded six-straight 200-yard passing games during one stretch (270.0 ypg.): against Notre Dame (245), Northern Colorado (290), Wisconsin (269), Michigan (284), Illinois (201) and Northwestern (season high 331).
CUNNINGHAM QUIETLY REWRITING SPARTAN RECORD BOOK -
Michigan State fifth-year senior B.J. Cunningham needs just 10 more catches to become MSU's all-time leader in receptions (record: 148 by Matt Trannon, 2003-06). The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Cunningham already ranks among the school's career leaders in catches (third at 139), touchdown receptions (tied for 10th with 13) and receiving yards (1,780). The Biletnikoff Award candidate has caught at least one pass in 34 consecutive regular-season games.
As a junior in 2010, Cunningham ranked second on the team in both receptions (career high 50) and receiving yards (611). His career-high nine touchdown receptions led the team and tied for the fourth-best single-season in MSU history. He finished eighth in the Big Ten in receptions (4.2 per game), while 34 of his 50 receptions (68 percent) resulted in either a TD or a first down. Cunningham set a career high with two TD receptions at Penn State (8 and 24 yards from Kirk Cousins), as MSU clinched a share of the 2010 Big Ten Championship with a 28-22 victory in State College. The Westerville, Ohio, native recorded his first career 100-yard receiving game with seven catches for 101 yards, including a 24-yard TD reception from Cousins, in an overtime win over Notre Dame.
2011 CAPTAINS ELECTED -
Fifth-year senior quarterback Kirk Cousins, fifth-year senior offensive guard Joel Foreman and senior free safety Trenton Robinson have been elected by their teammates to serve as Michigan State's captains for the 2011 season. Cousins becomes just the second three-time captain in the 115-year history of Spartan football, joining center Robert McCurry (1946-47-48). It marks the first time Foreman and Robinson have been elected team captains.
An additional captain will be selected each week during the 2011 season (fifth-year senior wide receiver Brad Sonntag vs. Youngstown State).
